Politics

Ideato people won’t forgive Uzodimma if Umuchina erosion project is abandoned – Ugochinyere

Hope Uzodimma, Umuchima

BY VAL OKARA

Member representing Ideato Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Imo Ugochinyere Ikeagwuonu has expressed worry over Imo State government plan to take over on going work at the Umuchima gully erosion site saying that his constituents would not forgive Governor Hope Uzodimma of if the work going project is abandoned.

Our correspondent reports that the gully erosion has ravaged Umuchima community in Ideato South Local Government Area of the state, for years, cutting off the Orlu-Akokwa-Uga-Ekwulobia road The erosion was said to have sacked many homes and buried over 30 houses, including that of a retired Justice.

Barely two months ago, Hon. Ikeagwuonu through his consistent advocacies attracted the federal government attention to award contract for the recovery of the erosion site.

Worked had already started on the site with the contractors almost completing the sand filling of a motorable access way.

The House of Representatives member on visit on the site, Wednesday, informed his constituents that the state government had written to the federal government requesting to take over the project.

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The lawmaker, who noted that he was not against the state government taking over the project, submitted that his people, however, will not forgive the governor if he abandons the project after taking over.

He stated that he decided to take up the project through his advocacies which attracted the federal government because it was abandoned for a long time.

He noted that work had gone far on the site and urged the governor to complete the project in time.

“We decided to come to see the extent of work and we are so pleased. They have been able to recover the old road. With the speed of work, by December, this place would have been motorable.

“We received the news that the government of Imo State is interested in the project. This is something we have been asking for. It is not my job to get involved in project execution. My job is to make laws. It was because the state and federal governments abandoned it for some time, we began to scream and got the attention of the federal government who awarded the contract to Rock View Construction Company.

“Since then, the contractor has been doing very fantastic work. Connecting it to the good part of the main road is about 30 percent left.

‘It doesn’t matter who does it, whether federal or state government. What is important to our people is that they have a right to have access to good road. But our people would not want a situation where this wonderful work the federal government is doing here would be abandoned by the state government when it takes over, and when the rainy season returns, Umuchima would be sacked.

“If Governor Hope Uzodimma fixes it, it commendable. But our people will not forgive if you chase away the federal government and abandon the project. Work has gone high here.

“If they say we should stop work, we stop work. We are not dragging site with anybody”.

Also speaking, the Site Engineer of Rock View Construction Company, Friday Okorobia, said the road would have been ready for light vehicles by November ending.

“We promised to deliver the job in due time. The gully work is remaining about 20 percent to completion.

“The gully was initially about 26 metres wide and about 38 metres deep. But it is less than 15 metres wide now. We have prepared the bed getting to a kilometre, it is less than 100 metres for us to link it up to the good part of the main road at Umuchima, which would have been done in two weeks. “If we are to continue the job, by November ending, it will be ready for use for light vehicles”, he stated.

In his remarks, the President General of Umuchima Community, Mr. Nelson Ejike Opara maintained that the community will never forget Ugochinyere Ikeagwuonu for coming to their rescue when they needed him most.

“Over 30 buildings and farm lands have been lost to the gully erosion. We want to appeal to Governor Hope Uzodimma to deliver timely if he is taking over.

“Umuchima people would never forget what our honourable member has done in our land. Even if the state government takes over, even the graves of our fore fathers know that Ikeagwuonu was the one who came to our rescue and laid the foundation, when others looked the other way”, he submitted.

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Ihesiulo Grace

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